Addressing invitation envelopes

EAR123

I am working on my invitation suite and am curious what is customary for invitation envelopes. I plan on having the envelopes addressed for my recipients by a calligrapher. I am not certain about having the calligrapher do our return address as calligraphy is so costly.

Would a return address stamp or having the printer print the return address on the back of the envelope look weird with the recipient address in a different font on the front? Has anyone sent invitations without a return address? All of our save the dates were delivered so I know all recipients' addresses are correct. I'm a better-safe-than-sorry person, so lean towards including a return address, but am curious what others have done here.

Thank you.

southernbelle0915

I would definitely have a return address so you they can be returned if undeliverable. We printed ours directly on the envelope. We did this because we (violated etiquette) and also printed our guests' addresses directly on the envelope. If we had hired a calligrapher as you are doing, we would have had him/her just write the return address.

CTYankeeBride

We also (violated etiquette) printed our return address directly onto the back of the envelope and we printed our address onto the front of the RSVP envelope as well.  I addressed our invitations by hand (in my neatest "fancy" handwriting).  I think a stamp or printing it on there is fine.  

CMGragain

Return addresses are usually printed on the envelope flap.

MairePoppy

My daughter had an elegant stamper made with their address. She stamped the back flap on the invitation envelope and the front of the RSVP envelope.

EAR123

Thanks all for your replies. I have neat cursive and addressed out save the dates by hand, but think it would be more elegant to have calligraphy and maybe a return stamper or similar for the invitation suite.

I checked costs for calligraphy on etsy and was not surprised by costs but also not jazzed about them. The fees averaged about $7-8 per piece for invite address and return and RSVP address and return. My designer/printer company I am doing my invites with is priced higher.

What do you all think -- will it look odd if my invite has lettering styles different (two types in my design) and the envelopes have a different style or two -- eg, a calligraphy address and a printed it stamped return?

I wonder if cost is worth eating for consistency in the design and overall look?

We will have about 45 invites, so not a huge cost but just under a $400 cost.